Red Carpet Inn Orange

... and highlights and wow does this State (and Country) ever have those in mega doses!!

Still hold up in Virginia as there is just soo much on the radar mind you we were in a holding pattern for a few days waiting to catch up with mail (our camp club memberships that give us a honkin' 50% discount at campsites so a must!!) So we have just spent our first 3 nights in a campsite all to ourselves… ...

Lovely breakfast (toast, assorted breads and canteloupe), good coffee at the South Street Inn.

It quit raining for a few minutes and we took a walk around downtown Charlottesville to look at restaurant menus for tonight and take in the sights.

Off to White Hall Vineyards. Nice fire in the tasting room, very pleasant. Left with a ...

Took the long and winding road from Orange to Charlottesville. It rained all day. And it was cold.

First stop: Horton Cellars. We left with a bottle of Petit Manseng. Bob, behind the tasting counter was unethusiastic at best.

On to Barboursville Vineyards. Very nice wines, lovely tasting room. Owned by an Italian family, Zonin. They produce about 1/2 ...

... Everything was spotlessly clean. And the breakfast was even better. Broiled grapefruit (a little brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins on top), creme brulee french toast, bacon, fantastic coffee and orange juice. Sharon (the innkeeper) is just as helpful and sweet as can be. She is sending us on our way with wine tasting coupons into a dark and stormy day.

... one of only 26 remaining copies of the broadsheets printed to spread the news of the Declaration of Independence throughout the colonies. We were mooching about in the gift shop at closing time when an announcement was made that there was to be a special presentation to mark the occasion together with drinks and snacks. Well, needless to say, we didn’t need to be asked twice and we spent a very pleasant evening chatting to one of the curators and ...

Um....yeah. Red wine, pinot noir, is my new friend. Got rowdy with Aaron and Luca. Kelly and Ed made an appearance as well. Went to the UVA vs William and Mary because we got free tickets from a gentleman named Davies. He had walked in on us smoking and could not have been any cooler. And even though UVA lost we had fun anyway. Lots of ...

As we left Albany driving towards Charlottesville, i kept thinking how absurd it is that I have yet to ramble in my own backyard. I've lived in New York for years and yet, I've never traveled south of Philadelphia! Our first stop was Shepardstown, a beautiful college town with

... there. But other, more pressing issues needed my attention at that time, such as dorm parties and the quest to find the perfect brand of beer. I always dreamed of returning someday and "doing it right," i.e. spending more than 10 hours in any one location and visiting multiple countries. After the children were born, I dreamed of “doing it right” and, at the same time, showing them why I love Europe so much.

Fast forward to ...

... selected a delcious bottle of their 2007 Viognier.  
 
When we left the vineyard we drove around the area a bit and drove past some great walking trails and Monticello, which looked like a great place to visit.  We also happened upon a cute "village" where we checked out a gift shop filled with all sorts of fun area related items.  Then it was off to our friends for the night!  

... ink spilled in a famous L College article detailing the nicknames of the Rowdies some many years ago. So I went to work. I hashed out nicknames left and right. South Carolina, Yuri, Ichiban, Goonie, all fell by the wayside. Doogmeister, Sis-Boom-Ba, and Reginald P. Waterhouse Esquire, all felt the wrath of Dan. Curmudgeon, Headband (that's me), Fraulein, and British Knight all became new monikers of the players. Then it came down to ...